Criser picked as state’s next university chancellor

Marshall Criser III, president of AT&T Florida, was picked Tuesday by a select committee as the state’s next university system chancellor.

Criser is now expected to go before the full State University System Board of Governors, meeting in Miami next week, where his selection is likely to be confirmed. Vice chancellor Jan Ignash has been in charge of the state’s 12 public universities on an interim basis since Chancellor Frank Brogan left for a similar post in Pennsylvania on Oct. 1.

Criser is a member of the Scripps Research Institute’s board of trustees and also serves on the board of his alma mater, the University of Florida. Criser’s namesake father is a former UF president.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of applicants we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing this month, and I am particularly happy with our finalist,” said Mori Hosseini, chair of the search committee and vice-chairman of the Board of Governors.

The search committee opted for the familiar in its selection, with Criser winning out over Mark Drummond, former chancellor of the California community college system; Jim Purcell, commissioner of the Louisiana Board of Regents; and Bruce Rafert, provost at North Dakota State University.